optimal play: <We have the pleasure of informing our readers that Mr. Smith has accepted Mr. Fisher's challenge to play a short match, to be decided in favour of the winner of the first seven games.The contest is to be played at Woollahra <a suburb of Sydney>, under the Praxis rules, and with a time limit of seventeen moves per hour.
- Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW) issue Saturday 20 September 1873 page 20
The match between Messrs. Fisher and Smith was commenced on the 17th instant <i.e. on the 17th September 1873> at the residence of the latter.
- Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW) issue Saturday 27 September 1873 page 21>
3.g3 looks to have been a novelty introduced by Smith in this game.
Following this match the next occasion this was played seems to be Max Weiss vs J N Berger, 1880
3...Bb4+
Alekhine tried this twice against Euwe (games 24 & 26) in their 1935 World Championship Match.
8.d5
<The advance of this Pawn is showy, but altogether unsound> *
<He could also have played P to K 4 with advantage> **
10...c5 or 10...cxd6
<Mr. Fisher selected wisely in not capturing the Q P ; had he done so, White would speedily recover the Pawn and obtain a fine game by playing his Kt to Q 4 and then to Q Kt 5> *
<It is probable that Black overlooked that he could have captured the Q P with impunity> **
Houdini sides with 10...cxd6
15.Qb3+
<This and the following move are badly played, and expose White to attack; he should have castled without delay> *
18...Ng4
<Black has now a fine position> *
20...Qf6
<He should have played P to Q Kt 4> **
Houdini came up with 20...Qc8 as the preferred move.
21...Nec6
<Kt to B 2 would win tho Q P in a few moves> *
23...Nca5 ? 23...b5 wins!
<Here Black misses a chance, P to Q Kt 4 would have made the enemy very uncomfortable> *
<Here again P to Q Kt 4 is the correct move> **
27...Nc5
<We like Kt to Kt 2 better e.g. 27... Kt to Kt 2 ; 28. P to K 4 ; R takes P ; 29. R takes R ; Kt takes R ; 30. R to Q sq ; Kt takes P ; And Black has at least an even game> *
33...Re6 ?
<A miscalculation, giving the aspiring Pawn a free pass. R to B 3 would have won the P, if, in reply, White checked at K 7, Black could interpose the R>
*
36...Kf6 ?
<Here black should have taken the P and then have checked at Q 8> *
39...Nf7 ?
<A fatal error, Black has neglected many opportunities of winning tho Q P, and now it rises in judgment against him> *
Instead 39...Ke7 might have kept Black in the game.
40.Rxg6+ wins!
41.Nxf7 !
<Capitally played> **
Smith scores a first-up win in their race to seven.
*Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW) issue Saturday 27 September 1873 page 21
**The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.) issue Saturday 4 October 1873 page 12
Kibitzing
sac: 40.Rxg6+